The Morning After
by bloomandgrow
Summary: Maria awoke slowly to the familiar surroundings of her governess' bedroom, only to realize with shock that she was not alone. Oh heavens! With the Captain sleeping next to her there would be plenty of time to have regrets about what happened the night before.


**A/N: I wrote this in a burst of silliness - this is what happens when listening to Leonard Cohen after a couple of glasses of wine...**

 **ooooOOOOooooo**

 _The days may not be fair,_

 _But that's when I'll be there,_

 _Not for just a second or a minute or an hour,_

 _Not for just a weekend and a shakedown in the shower,_

 _Not for just the summer and the winter going sour,_

 _I'll be loving you_

 _Always, always, always_

 **(Leonard Cohen, lyrics 'Always')**

 **ooooOOOoooo**

Maria awoke sleepily, smiling at the familiar surroundings of the governess' bedroom, enjoying the early morning rays of sunshine slanting in through the windows and watching motes of dust floating in the beams of light. She sighed happily as the last vestiges of sleep and the confused fragments of dreams evaporated. She wondered what the day would bring.

Something seemed not quite right though - for one thing her nightdress was missing. Had she forgotten to put it on for some reason? Then with shock and dawning horror she heard the distinct sounds of someone breathing beside her and turned her head. _Oh help_ , she gasped. She was not alone in her bed. A head with dark tousled hair rested on the pillow next to her. She gulped. What on earth was the Captain doing in here?

And then she remembered the night before and closed her eyes, appalled. She looked around the room as the memories flooded in. She could see their clothes scattered haphazardly around, telling their own story of a night of unrestrained passion: a suit jacket thrown carelessly on a chair, a tie flung across the room, shoes heeled off in a hurry and scattered.

She sat up slightly and put her hands to her burning cheeks, holding the sheet to herself with her elbows. What had they done in here, in her chaste governess' bedroom, in a bed that was definitely not meant for two?

Oh dear Lord, she could remember exactly what they had done. Outrageous things that gave her goosebumps and made her toes curl at the mere thought of it. The sight of her chemise lying on the floor near the door told its own salacious story of how they had nearly not even made it to the bed. She swallowed. Dear heaven, she had allowed the Captain to seduce her right here in the governess' room.

Through the confused jumble of thoughts a kaleidoscope of images from the previous evening cascaded through her mind.

 _She had known right from dinner-time that he was looking at her in a certain way - even she was not that naïve. He had smiled at her across the table, a light in his eyes, a certain inflection in his voice, undetected by the children, but sending its own subtle, but clear message to her. It stirred something deep within her, making her heart race and causing a yearning to flutter in her belly._

 _In the end she had to look down, her cheeks pink, and avoid the warmth of his gaze otherwise the children would certainly sense something as they chattered unsuspectingly around her._

 _After dinner he had continued his subtle seduction, finding excuses to touch her. He let his fingers brush against hers as he handed her a drink, sending a frisson of awareness along her spine and making her unable to conceal the shiver. She knew he had noticed it by the satisfied gleam in his eyes. He was far too experienced to be unaware of the helpless way her body was reacting to him. He stood close to her, so close that she could feel the warmth from his body and catch the evocative scent of his skin._

 _He deliberately sat next to her on the sofa as they watched the older children taking turns reciting from Schiller and Goethe. When he spoke he did so quietly so she had to lean closer to hear him and she could feel his warm breath on her cheek as he murmured something amusing in her ear about Kurt's antics._

 _She felt confused and uncertain. What on earth was he playing at? What if the children realized what he was doing, she wondered dismayed, even as she quivered with longing._

 _By the time it was time for the children to go to bed his eyes were burning with need and her skin almost felt scorched where they lingered. As she kissed the children goodnight she felt a thrumming awareness of him in her whole being as he watched her intently with dark, brooding eyes._

 _A part of her brain had slowed to a crawl and had almost detached itself, observing the scene unfolding from afar, while the other part of her brain was racing at breakneck speed overwhelming her with illicit thoughts and feelings. She felt a thrill of almost shameful pleasure that what he had been leading up to all evening was about to culminate in something that made her tremble at the mere thought of it._

 _They stood outside the governess' bedroom door just looking at each other for a timeless moment._

 _He murmured softly, "You do recall my instructions about bedtime being strictly observed in this house, no exceptions?"_

 _Maria could only nod as she swallowed, an unbearable anticipation and excitement surging through her. She watched mesmerized, as he slowly lowered his head to claim her mouth in a surprisingly gentle, persuasive and unhurried kiss. A kiss that belied the fierce hunger in his eyes. Each kiss after that became slightly more insistent and demanding, drawing her patiently, inexorably along with him until she was sighing with the sheer pleasure of it._

 _Still kissing her, he reached behind her and opened the governess' bedroom door and urged her gently in as she started to protest._

 _"What are you doing?" she gasped, shocked._

 _"Shhh, it's alright. Trust me," he whispered softly._

 _"But…., but the children are right next door," she said horrified._

 _He put his finger to her mouth, "It will be alright. We'll be quiet, I promise they won't hear. This will be our own delightful, delicious little secret." He punctuated the last words with tender reassuring kisses, breaking down her resistance. "No-one will ever know."_

 _He smiled persuasively, a heart-stopping look in his eyes as he waited for her acquiescence. After a hesitation, the clamoring of her senses won over her better judgment and her arms were around his neck before she even realized what she was doing._

 _That was all the encouragement he needed and the catalyst for his kisses deepening - growing to a raging, consuming hunger that made her gasp at its ferocity and cling to him. She soon forgot her reservations about reaping the whirlwind and doing things in the governess' bedroom that had definitely never been done in there before._

Maria looked at him sleeping beside her. How different he looked from the usual immaculate, stern exterior he presented to the world. She resisted the urge to stroke the unruly locks of chestnut hair falling rakishly over his forehead in case he woke up. Really, he was too outrageously handsome and too irresistible, she sighed.

She had succumbed willingly despite knowing full well they shouldn't be doing this. More than willingly she admitted to herself, her cheeks still pink. He had even whispered teasingly that she seemed like she was in an awful hurry as she struggled with the intricacies of his cufflinks and then several buttons from his shirt went flying across the room as she pulled it off him. But his own efforts to free her from her clothes had been just as desperate and she had heard a distinct tear in her dress.

She looked on in trepidation as he began to stir beside her, waking drowsily, and blinking in confusion at the unfamiliar surroundings. Then his brow cleared as he too began to remember the night before. He turned to look at her, smiling so tenderly that her heart flipped over, even as she tried to think of ways to get him out of there.

"Good morning." The timbre of his voice was husky with sleep, bringing with it wisps of memories of soft seductive whispers in a bed bathed in bright moonlight. The rich deep texture of his voice reminded her of how the night had seemed to have had a velvety, dream-like quality to it.

 _The open window with the curtains billowing gently had allowed a soft breeze to cool their over-heated skin and calm their thundering heart-beats while they looked out at the inky black sky studded with a million stars. He had pointed out the constellations that used to guide him in the darkness of night when he was a sea captain. His soothing murmurs had helped her forget the strangeness and anxiety of having him in her bed with the children right next door. Then he had gathered her in his arms to soar to the heavens with her once again. That second time had been in a gentler, less hurried way, full of tender smiles and sweet joy._

He stretched languorously in the early morning light. Although he did so quietly she was terrified someone would hear, though her senses flared at the sight of his bare chest scattered with soft hair that she knew felt so silky to touch.

What if the children could hear him next door? Or what if Frau Schmidt walked past? She bit her lip, unnerved, momentarily speechless with worry but her eyes reflecting her turmoil.

She should have listened to the scolding, sensible voice in her head last night (the one that had sounded suspiciously like Sister Berthe) that had told her they were treading a dangerous path. But common sense had very rapidly given up its futile struggle against the tidal wave of unbridled lust and need which had overwhelmed them both.

"I hope you're not having regrets about last night? Because for me it was wonderful, magical, perfect. _You_ were wonderful" he said softly.

He looked amused as Maria still clutched the sheet modestly to herself. "Isn't it a little late for that?" he asked teasingly, reaching over to gently take the sheet from her grasp and shifting so that he was covering her body with his. He cupped her face and caressed her cheek with his thumb.

He smiled at her reassuringly, "I have to admit this is a very new experience for me too. It's only the second time I have been in a governess' bedroom and definitely the first time I have been in a governess' bed. Though I'm hoping that it will be the first of many more such times, even if the bed is rather cramped, and we have to be so excruciatingly quiet."

Maria finally found her voice and said in a frantic whisper, "We can't be in here together, what if the children find us, or Frau Schmidt or the maids, or…, or... _Franz_?" she asked in growing horror.

She imagined each terrible scenario unfolding in front of her eyes, with the worst one being the whole household standing accusingly in the doorway while the two of them cowered guiltily under the sheet.

"Franz?" He looked amused. "I doubt he even knows where the governess' bedroom is, and besides I took the precaution of locking the door last night. No one is going to walk in, so just relax. What we did last night wasn't wrong. How could something so beautiful be wrong? I've been wanting to be in here with you for a very long time. You have no idea about the tortured dreams I've had about it. The only thing we have to decide now is whether to move up to the master bedroom or stay here. I was thinking a shower would be rather delightful. Together of course," he added seductively.

The thought made Maria's breath stop and her heart start thudding frantically at the image of his skin glistening with soap, his wet hair plastered to his head with rivulets of water streaming down his face, and warm water splashing down his body.

"On second thoughts I don't think I have the patience to wait until we go upstairs so why don't we stay here a bit longer?" His mouth was already moving along her delicate collarbones and lower.

But she was letting him distract her, she had to stay focused. She needed to get him out of here unseen, now, before the household woke up and they were caught in a compromising situation.

"No," she whispered, torn between the aching desire unfurling deep within her, and the fear of discovery which if anything intensified the longing even more. "We'll be caught."

He sighed heavily as he lay back against the pillows. Clearly her partner in crime, (was lust a crime she wondered with a small skitter of guilt), was starting to lose patience with all the 'cloak and dagger' drama. He looked at her in exasperation.

"For heaven's sake darling, we've been married for nearly a year. You're behaving like this is some kind of illicit, sinful liaison just because - for once - we were together in your old bedroom with the children next door. It wasn't wrong, nobody heard us. May I remind you that I'm the master of this house? If I want to make love to my wife in the governess' bedroom, or the coal-shed or the dining room then I damn well will," he asserted with characteristic arrogance.

He cocked his head and pursed his mouth thoughtfully as he rubbed his thumb and index finger around his unshaven chin. "The coal-shed isn't appealing, but the dining room has definite possibilities. We'd have to find a way to get rid of the staff and the children though," he mused reflectively.

Maria whispered back, jittery with nerves "Will you please stop thinking about such things and focus on how we are going to get out of here before anyone finds us."

She slipped out of bed and put on his shirt which was closer than her own clothes and went over to listen worriedly at the door.

Georg stared at the length of her bare legs tantalisingly revealed by his shirt, an arrested look on his face. "Do you know that shirt looks far better on you than it does on me, especially since a couple of buttons are now missing? In fact-"

The last word ended up muffled as Maria nimbly leaped back over to him and put a panicked hand over his mouth to silence him, convinced she could hear footsteps. "Someone's coming," she mouthed, anxiously.

Georg rolled his eyes impatiently as Maria listened intently, then she signaled that it was safe.

He sighed again, shaking his head as he got out of bed, muttering indistinct curses. They dressed quietly. Maria gave him back his shirt, but with so many buttons missing Georg kept it open and slung his tie over his shoulder while he carried his shoes and jacket.

Maria carefully made the bed so that it looked unruffled. She studied the room thoroughly, her hands on her hips and a frown of concentration on her face, trying to ensure that the room looked as chaste and innocent as it had when she had been the governess.

When she was satisfied she quietly opened the door and furtively looked up and down the hallway.

"This is ridiculous," Georg griped. "I don't give a damn what the staff think if they see us in here, and the children won't be up for an hour. Why am I sneaking around like a thief in the night in my own house?"

Maria shushed him and pulled him through the door as they made their way quietly, and fortunately unseen, to their bedroom. She breathed a sigh of relief as they found themselves safely inside. She sagged against the door and put the back of her hand thankfully to her forehead.

She looked across at Georg who had a disgruntled look on his face as he looked for fresh clothes. Well she had just the cure for that – it was time to do some seducing of her own. She rummaged through her wardrobe until she found just the thing.

Georg had given her a silk robe last week that she had never worn because it seemed far too small for her. Although he had sworn up and down that he had not known it would be so short on her when he bought it, the glint in his eyes had belied the bland innocence on his face.

Maria went to the bathroom and emerged wearing just the robe. She leaned against the doorway with an arm above her head in what she hoped was a risqué way.

"Now about that shower darling…" she murmured softly.

He turned and his jaw dropped, and she saw with amusement that she would not have to make nearly as much effort as he had last night. He stared at the robe which barely reached her thighs, then he dropped the clothes he was holding and strode towards her with a a sensual slant to his mouth and fire in his eyes.

ooooOOOOoooo

After breakfast, Franz approached Georg discreetly. "Captain, may I have a word sir?"

Georg turned to him as the children and Maria went ahead. After a moment she heard him say gravely, "I see. Thank you Franz."

With his mouth twitching and a look of devilish amusement in his eyes, Georg walked over to Maria and opened his palm to show her what Franz had given him. She looked down, mortified, her cheeks scarlet, to see his two cufflinks and three shirt buttons, as he said, "Apparently these were found by the maids in the governess' bedroom. I can't think how they got in there, can you?"

The end

 **oooooOOOOooooo**

 **A/N**

 **A very big thank you to IDon'tKnowYourSignal for letting me borrow her great writing idea (where things are not what they seem initially) from her last chapter of the beautiful 'On the Terrace' story.**

 **I tried to use the same technique in a different way - hoping to convince readers it was an illicit one-night encounter when in fact only the location was 'wrong'. I would love to know whether it worked or not - if you write a review - at what point did you realise they were married, or was it just confusing and implausible? Thanks so much for reading.**

 **P.S. I would really encourage you to listen to 'Always' by Leonard Cohen on youtube - it's pure seduction in a song - LC's amazingly deeply textured voice, the raunchy back up singers, the sexy build up to the beat - the whole thing is so incredibly hot.**

I do not own TSOM


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